I AM A IDIOT
by Osuka
Summary: A spin off of Wolfkcing's Anizoids. Theo's life hasn't always been fun and games, yet he has always been able to turn the stupid choices he's made into something good. How long will his luck hold out?
1. Chapter 1

Hey! Osuka, man of fire, here. Man that was a terrible introduction...anyway, since I have more free time then I know what to do with I let inspiration take hold and wrote a spin off. Focuses on one of my characters, Theodore Merc. 

Disclaimer: Oh joy, how I love to do the disclaimer. I do not own Zoids. Nor Anizoids who were created by the very talented Wolfkcing. Everything else is mine. 

**************Chapter 1********************

"You little punk! Get back here!" A small child panted as he heaved himself over a gate. When he hit ground he ran, putting as much distance as possible between him and his pursuer. He stopped to catch his breath when he was sure that whoever was chasing him was far behind.

"Old fart," he chuckled, "like something that old could catch me." He stuck his hand up his shirt, pulling out the large sub sandwich he had managed to steal. He raised it to his lips, ready to take a bite out of it. A long, low growl stopped him.

A dog, well actually it was still a puppy (a very big puppy), stood before him. It growled again, baring its sharp fangs and staring at the sub. The boy gulped as it crept closer, its growling becoming louder with each step.

"Damn." He whispered. What was he going to do? Well he knew one thing. He wasn't going to give up his dinner to some mutt. He'd worked hard to steal it! The pup stopped walking when it become apparent that it wasn't getting an easy meal. It backed up a few steps, its growling slowly coming to a stop. "Yeah that's it you little mutt. Just keep backing up." The mutt was a few paces away now and the boy figured it was safe to assume that he was out of the woods. How wrong he was. 

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" The cries of a boy in pain echoed off the walls of alleys and carried into the streets.

~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~

"Parasite! Let's go!" Parasite, who happened to be the same boy from the alley, called back a "Wait for me!" while he dragged a bag twice his size down a hall. "Ain't got the time! Hurry up or we'll leave you behind!"

"I'm coming!" He reached the end of the hall and looked up. "Where's the rope!" A rope was tossed down through an opened window.

"You better not drop the bag, parasite!" The boy glared up at the window. Why did they always think he was going to drop the bag? He'd only done it two or three times (more like five or six). "Parasite! If they catch you we're not coming back to get you!" He'd better hurry up, that wasn't an empty threat. They would leave him behind if he got caught. Parasite gripped the rope and secured the bag over his bony little shoulder. He got half up the wall when he ran into a problem. The longer he held the rope the more his hand hurt. And it wasn't like an annoying little pain in the center either, it hurt like hell. He really wanted to switch hands, but then he'd fall. That would waste to much time, his friends would leave him. "Parasite, if you're not up here by the count of five, you're on your own! We can't wait any longer!"

"It's my hand! It hurts!"

"I told you we shouldn't have brought him!" He heard someone say. "He's been complaining about his hand all week. Man I knew the parasite would get us caught. Just leave him." He heard what sounded like they were arguing, and then he heard the distance sound of feet pounding against the ground. They had abandoned him. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Why can't we prosecute him?"

"We don't know his age. It would help if we did. Then we would know whether or not we should trial him as an adult." 

"Look I don't care if he's put in adult or juvenile court, just make sure he's punished."

"We'll put him in juvenile court. We have one more problem though."

"What?"

"We don't know his name either."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~

"Do you want to tell me what you were doing in that house?" The little boy sat on a couch staring at his bandaged hand. A tall thin, slightly balding man sat in front of him. He was holding a clipboard, marking things on it every once in a while. "Perhaps you could tell me what happened to your hand? Or maybe you can tell where the stolen belongings are. You know only one tenth of it was found in that bag you had. That's a real small amount." There was a knock at the door and without waiting for an answer a beautiful blond woman walked in.

"Found out anything?" She asked gesturing down to the motionless boy.

"Nothing. He's been unresponsive to every question I've asked."

"So we have nothing to go to court with."

"Well actually.."

"If you're referring to the little we know, then forget it. It won't help. We take a little boy who doesn't know his name or age, has a bloody bandaged wrapped around his hand along with a body littered with bruises, and was found stealing from one of the most richest, but also most hated man in the city. Let's not forget that more than half the things stolen weren't with the boy. We take that to court and he'll be let off with a slap on the wrist, if we're lucky." She didn't like prosecuting children, but no one was the exception to the law. 

"Well maybe you'd like to try and get him to talk." She shrugged her shoulders. Wouldn't hurt to try. She kneeled down in front of the boy and opened her mouth to speak. Just to close it shut and stare at him. She raised a hesitant hand to his forehead and brushed his hair out of the way. She was greeted with the sight of a weird shaped scar and smiled. 

"I think I know what will make him talk."

"What?" She just smiled again and turned back to the boy.

"Theodore," the boy looked up in surprise, "why were you in that man's house?"

"To steal." He mumbled.

"That was obvious." The man grumbled under his breath.

"Did you know that stealing is wrong?" He nodded his head. "Then why did you do it?"

"If I didn't, they would have left me. I don't...I don't like being alone."

"Who are they?"

"My friends."

"Did they help you rob the man's house?" Another nod. "Do they have things that weren't found in the bag you had?" Another nod. "Where are they?"

"I don't know." 

"You don't know?" He rapidly shook his head. "Why don't you know?"

"I took to long, so they ditched me. You said so yourself that they had most of the stuff, they could afford to loss one tenth of it. Whatever one tenth is that's small right?" She smiled.

"Right." She gripped his little hands in hers, being careful with his bandaged one. "What happened to your hand?"

"A puppy bit me."

"A puppy?" A little puppy did that to his hand?

"Yep. It was a huge puppy." He stretched his arms out as far as they could go. "It was this big, only a lot bigger." He smiled as she patted him on the head and stood up.

"Thank you Theodore." She turned the man. "I have all the information we'll need."

"How did..."

"Don't worry about it. Just get Theo something to eat. You're hungry right?"

"Uh-huh." It was strange how easily he answered those questions. Maybe it was because she knew his name or maybe she just reminded him of his mother, or both. Whatever it was, she made him feel like he was ten again and back home with his mom. She made him feel safe.

~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~

"Verdict?"

"You have to understand that you were just doing your job. No one is the exception..."

"Verdict?"

"He's going to juvenile hall [that's what it's called right?]"

"For how long?"

"A year."

"That long?"

"Steal from a guy like the one he did, and you should expect to be punished to the full extent of the law. From what you found out, he was old enough to be trial as an adult. He could have gone to jail, but I suppose it wouldn't have made a difference. He's got a criminal record now, who would hire a kid like that?" 

~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~

He stared down at his bandaged hand. How long ago had it been? How many days had passed since that pup had lunged at him? Since its jaws had missed the sub completely and sunk into his hand. It couldn't have been too long. Oh yeah, it was one full year. So maybe it was long, he was what thirteen then. Now at fourteen and it still bother him to look at his own hand. It was stupid really, but he couldn't help it. That dog had ruined his already terrible life. 

"Hey kid!"

"Huh?" A very short and plump man stood in front of him. He frowned at the boy and gestured towards the door.

"Are you coming in or not? Cause if you are you better hurry up, jobs don't remain open for long you know." The boy rapidly nodded his head.

"Ah, yeah, I'm coming." He followed the little round man into the building. His eyes franticly looked in every direction, staring at all the mechanical equipment. 

"You have any experience?"

"Huh? Oh yeah experience. Yeah I'm a pro." He lied. He had never had a job in his entire life, and he knew next to nothing about this one. 

"You're lying through your teeth kid. How badly do you need this job?" He grinned at the little man.

"Heh, bad enough to sell my soul to get it."

"I don't need or want your soul kid. Keep it and be here tomorrow. You start work at 7. Name?"

"Joey."

"Are you going to make a habit of lying?" The short man didn't wait for an answer. He just turned and walked away, leaving the boy with his thoughts.

_How'd he know my name wasn't Joey? _

~~~~~~~~~_flashback~~~~~~~~~~~_

A young woman, she couldn't have been any older than twenty-two, hugged her youngest son to her chest. She was crying and though the little boy didn't understand why he cried with her. She hugged him tighter and whispered in his ear.

"No matter what happens I want you to know that I will always love you Theodore." The boy smiled and returned his mother's embrace.

"I love you too Mama, but why are you crying?" At this she only cried harder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~_end flashback_~~~~~~~~ 

"Joey!"

__

~~~~~~~~~~~~~flashback~~~~~~~~~

A huge man walked up to the mother and son. He grabbed the boy's arm and wrenched him from his mother's arms. The woman of course refused to give up the boy, but when the man began to loosen his belt she reluctantly let go. The boy stared back at his mother and then up to the man.

"Where we going Papa? Is Mama coming?" 

"No."

"But I want Mama to come. Mama's sad, if she can't come I want to stay here and make Mama happy." His father just continued to drag him away. "No! I wanna stay with Mama! Don't make me go Papa!" The boy began to struggle, managing to slip his arm out of his father's grasp. He ran back to his mother. He had almost reached her, before his father caught up to him and slapped him in the back of the head so hard he blacked out. The last thing he saw before everything went black was his mother cradling him in his arms and crying over him.

~~~~~~~~~~~_end flashback~~~~~~~~~~_

"Joey!" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~_flashback_~~~~~~~~~~~~

****

The same little boy sat in a corner, his face buried in his arms which were resting on his drawn-up knees. Every once in a while, sniffles, coughs, and hiccups could be heard in the quiet room. Tears ran down the boy's cheeks as he cried. "I want my Mama! I wanna go home to Mama! Mama come back, please! Why did you go Mama?!"

A man who was just as huge as his father but not nearly so imitating kneeled in front of the boy. He placed a hand on the boy's head and ran it through his silky black tresses. When the boy continued to cry he picked him up and carried him out of the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_end flashback~~~~~~~~~~_

****

"**Joey wake up**!" 'Joey' grumbled and yelled out,

"Wwwhhhaaatttt?"

"Dude, wake up. We got work to do."

"Sage, nobody says dude anymore, do you know that?"

"Whatever dude. All I know is that if you don't get off your lazy butt, you aren't getting paid."

"I'm up. I'm up." He swung his legs over the bench he had been lying on. "What's the news around the shop?"

"Special vacation in two days, that's what new." 'Joey' stood up and yawned, scratching his ribs as he did.

"What's so special about it?" He could feel it. That excitement was building up. Slowly but surly.

"Only greenhorns like us get to go on it. Plus it's a three-day vacation, and here my friend is the best part the boss is going to use that time to take us on a hunt. Think about it Joey. Three glorious days away form this hellhole called a repair shop. Spending that time connecting with nature, getting back to the basic, and then there's the thrill of the hunt. Of course if you don't pull your weight around here, greenhorn or not you ain't going on the trip." Sage turned his back to 'Joey' and began to rock on his heels. "So what do you say to that dude?" Silence. "Ah dude?" More silence. "Joey it would be nice if you answered my question." Even more silence, then...

"Sage! Come on cuz. Do you want that vacation or what?" 'Joey' called. He stood on top of a Rev Raptor's back, wrench in hand and already covered in grease. 

"Cuz? Dude, I think you been hanging around me too much. Pretty soon you're going to be saying brah." 'Joey' grinned and shook his head.

"No way dude. Oops.. I mean.. Ah... Now look what you got me saying!"

"You're always fun to watch cuz."

"Whatever. Hey Sage do you ever wonder what happens to them?"

"To who?"

"The parts we take from the zoids we strip down. I mean there's no way it all goes to building more zoids. We don't put out nearly as much as we take in. Which doesn't make sense since every zoid we've ever took apart was in perfect condition. Now that I think about it, that part doesn't make sense either. Where do these in perfect working order zoids come from and where do they go?" Sage was frowning and glaring, causing poor 'Joey' to be a little nervous. "What?!"

"Let me give you some advice Joey. You're a grease monkey just like the rest of us here, and like the rest of us here you are obligated to follow a two simple rules. 1. That you be on time and pull your own weight and 2. That you mind your own business. Do that and you keep your job, if you can't work by those rules you could loose your life. The boss doesn't like nobodies like us poking our noses where they don't belong." Although he didn't like being classified as a nobody, he saw the reason in Sage's words.

"Fine. I'll mine my own business." _For now anyway._

~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~

A small gray lug nut rolled through a crack in an open door. It continued its aimless rolling until it came to a slow stop in the middle of the hall.

"Ah! Gotta go! Gotta go bad! Get out of my way! I just drank 2 bottles of soda and am about to explode! Where's the bathro--Whoa!" 'Joey' lied on the floor. His hands clenched tightly between his thighs as if he had been kicked in a very sensitive place. Which he might have well have been, he hit the ground pretty hard and his hands were in the perfect place to do the damage. True they weren't directly in place when he was running but they were close. "Ouch. That hurt very much." Well, now that he had acknowledged his pain maybe he could focus on something else. Like what had he tripped on? 

After waiting for the pain to subside he rolled over to investigate. "A nut. A stupid nut." _Ya'_ _know that's kind of funny when you think about it. _Wait, that wasn't important. How did a lug nut end up all the way out here? The hanger wasn't anywhere near here. It was actually a good walking distance from here. That of course was why he was racing to the bathroom. It was also a good distance away from the hanger and...Uh-oh. "Bathroom!" Forget the nut he had a biological emergency to take care of.

An amazing blue and silver lion zoid. Two men were standing in front of it. They were talking about something, but it didn't make sense. Or at least the few words heard didn't make sense. Greenhorns. Hunt. Lion. Anizoid. [Okay maybe it did make sense.]

~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

'Joey' remained frozen in position. Crouched and ready to spring up so he could continue his race to the bathroom. _What was that? I've... I've done that before, haven't I?_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~flashback~~~~~~~~~

The little boy ran through the house, yelling at the top of his lungs. "Yuji! Yuji! Yuji!" The large man smiled and held out his arms to catch the boy as he flung himself into his arms. " Guess what! Guess what! I saw my Mama! I saw my Mama again!" Yuji frowned.

"How?" He hadn't let Theodore anywhere near his family. The boy deserved better than what he was born with. 

"I don't know. I was sitting in my room, then I hear a sound, like bees, and then I saw my Mama. She was in the kitchen, cooking my favorite. Lasagna, but she looked sad. I wish I could stay with her. I could make her happy again. Can I go make Mama happy, Yuji? Please, please, please." Maybe it would work. So far whenever he asked Yuji for something he got it. At this rate he'd become a regular spoiled brat.

Yuji's face fell. He ruffled the boy's ebony hair. "Maybe one day Theodore. Maybe one day you can go back and make your Mama happy." It was better than nothing he supposed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~_end flashback_~~~~~~~ 

_Yeah. I have done it before, but.. What did this one mean? Greenhorns, hunt, lion, anizoid. What's their connection? Greenhorns and hunt, that one's obvious. Lion and anizoid, though. Huh, anizoid, I've heard of those. What were they? An animal in a zoid's body? Yeah, that's pretty much right. Animal....Lion. Duh! Of course, it couldn't get more simpler than that!_

"Joey!" Who was calling him?

"Huh?" Sage jogged up to 'Joey'. He had this big toothy grin and seemed to be trying to suppress his laughter. 

"Dude, I thought you were going to take a whiz."

"I was, I-I mean I am." Sage placed a hand on 'Joey's shoulder to keep him from walking off.

"Dude, I don't think you need to go anymore." He pointed down and 'Joey's eyes followed. The place over and around his zipper was now soaked through. 

"Great."

"Maybe we should get you cleaned up." Sage swung an arm over his shoulder, preparing to lead him away, but something had caught 'Joey's eyes.

"What's in there?" He gestured towards the door the nut had rolled out of.

"Oh there. Don't know, come on. You need new pants and boxers. You're a boxer guy right?"

"Uh-huh." He said, not really paying attention. His eyes and attention were transfixed on that slightly opened door. Whatever was in there was calling for him, and he was going to answer.

"Joey? Joey where you going? Dude, you can't go in there!" He was ignored. 'Joey' pulled away from his friend, slowly walking towards the door. "Joey, get back here!" All he got for that was a wide grin. "Joey as your friend and co-worker, I'm telling you to stay away from that door!" He was ignored still. "Joey!" Sage jumped on 'Joey's back, hoping the sudden weight would stop him, but the fifteen year old was stronger than he looked. He just carried Sage with him.

"Whoa! Sage, you can't tell me this isn't the most beautiful thing you've ever seen." It was that zoid he had seen. The blue and silver liger. "Heh, now I know where all the parts go. They go to the manufacturing of this baby. That is one bad@$$ zoid. I wanna pilot it!" He suddenly broke into a run, heading straight to the zoid.

"What?! No! Joey you can't! We'd be in enough trouble for just being here! Please don't add grand theft to trespassing!" 'Joey' couldn't help but pout.

"Aw, you're no fun. But don't worry Sage I was kidding about piloting it," _liar_, "you know I'd never do anything that stupid. We can go now." _That's got to be the biggest lie I've ever told. I'm going to pay for that, I just know it._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~

"TGIF! Thank God It's Friday! And you know what that means. Three-day vacation!" He didn't know what was more stupid. The whole bogus hunt or Sage's dumb celebration dance. When Sage started doing really bad Michael Jackson moves it was decided. Oh yeah, it was the dance.

"Sage stop. You're scaring people."

"What people?" His attention was called to the large number of workers who were watching him. A few were snickering, some were trying to hold back laughter, and the rest weren't even trying. "Ah they're just jealous."

"Of what?"

"That they ain't got the moves!" After the little disco he did no one was trying hold back their laughter. 

"You need help."

~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~

He tried. He tried really hard to keep his displeasure off his face, but it was still obvious. He couldn't help it though. The more he heard and thought about the hunt the less he liked it. 

"Is there something I said that has upset you, Mr. Joey?" His boss asked.

"Yes. As a matter of fact there is." He could hear someone call "Joey what are you doing?" but he ignored it. "Who's ever been on a hunt where you shoot, but don't kill the animal? With bullets! A tranquilizer I can understand. But everyone knows that an animal is the most dangerous when it's wounded. And you want us to hunt a mountain lion no less. That does have me wondering what you plan to do with that wounded lion."

"I would like to speak to Mr. Joey alone." Getting the message all the other workers began leaving.

"Yeah I bet you do." Before leaving Sage walked up to 'Joey'.

"Dude, once again as your friend and co-worker I'm telling you to back down from this fight. You can't win it."

"My fight Sage. Mine. So follow rule number 2 and mind your own business." A little harsh, but he wanted to get his point across. He almost regretted it though when he saw how Sage's face fell, but it was to late to turn back now. "Go Sage." After his friend left he turned back to the boss.

"You're a lot smarter than these other fools aren't you, Mr. Joey? You do your homework, you know the true reason for this hunt, don't you?"

"Well I think the fact that you wanted the lion alive was a big giveaway. You want to put it in that lion zoid. Don't you know it's illegal to use undomesticated animals as anizoids? It's very dangerous too. I think I understand why only grease monkeys are hunting. An extremely large percent of them are just punks. They have this job only because it's one step above prison. Just like me, but unlike me they're smart. Me I'm a big idiot. They all follow the rules because they don't want to ruin what ever chance they have at a good life. They aren't brave or dumb enough to question things. But me, I'm just stupid enough to be the rule breaker."

"Ah, you are indeed an intelligent young man, but I've done my homework too, Theodore Eros. A detective aren't you? Just like your brothers."

"My brothers? Detectives?"

"I'm not stupid, Mr. Eros. Stealth, Trigger, and Pistol Eros. All very amazing detectives, of course those are just their nicknames. I suppose you know their real ones, it would really help me if I knew too. It would be easier to find out where they live, then I could take care of what could be a serious problem before it starts. You know, don't want nosy detectives around my shop."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't seen my brothers in years. I barely remember my own real name, so there's no way I can remember theirs." 

"Still playing dumb? Mr. Eros could you move your bangs out of the way?" Strange request, but he did it anyway. "Yes, it's there. You were branded just like your brothers, and fathers before you." Branded? It was just a stupid S on a cross shaped scar. True it was a weird looking scar, but just a scar. "Only an Eros is branded that way, so there's no use in pretending." He still had that confused look on his face. "Oh my, you really don't know do you? How can you not be a detective? You're an Eros, there's not doubt about it. The brand is never wrong, but you probably didn't know anything about it. Oh me, what could have happen to you? What deprived you of learning your heritage?"

"My heritage didn't want me." He mumbled. His boss didn't hear him though. 

"It's for the best I suppose. After all it's far more easier to get rid of a nosy employee than a nosy detective. You will forgive me of course. Nothing personal, just business." He leveled the gun, which he seemed to have pulled out of no where.

_Am I going to die?_

His finger tighten on the trigger.

_No, I'm not. Something's going to happen. I can fell it._ Theo smiled. "I guess I'm getting fired."

"Business, of course."

"Of course." He watched that finger pull harder and probably felt the bullet coming long before it shot through the barrel of the gun. It never connected with him though, because he was tackled from the side before it did. As he rolled on the ground he heard his boss's cursing getting farther and farther away. He also felt claws and teeth snapping and scratching at his skin. He came to a very hard and painful stop when he crashed into a tree. He scrambled out from under the force that saved his life, backing away to a safe distance. "A mutt." What was a dog doing out here? Well if the dirty, matted, and tangled fur was any indication he'd say it was a wild stray. But then it had a ratty old collar on so it had to be a runaway. The mutt was kind of familiar. He'd seen that collar. Where? "Oh yeah, that huge puppy." He wished he kept his mouth shut, the dog seemed to remember he was there. "Ah, nice doggy." He gulped, it was coming closer. "Good puppy." It took another step forward and he took one back. "You don't want me, I mean I taste terrible." _Maybe I should have taken my chances with the gun._ It growled and lunged for him. "$hit! Damn dog!" He managed to dodge the first jump but it was coming for him. "I hate dogs!" He yelled, breaking out in a full run. Naturally the dog followed.

Theo leaned heavily on a tree, panting and body shaking. He slid down, sitting in the dirt and listened. Listened for the dog. It looked like he lost it, but he didn't believe that for a second. It had to be out there. 

If he had animal ears they would be twitching like crazy, because he could diffidently hear the dog now. It walked slowly up to him, coming so close they were nose to nose. And then, it started to sniff him. And he just sat there and let it. He was too tired to run away anyway. It growled softly and turned away. The dog walked to the edge of the clearing and turned its head back towards Theodore. It barked as if it was calling him and this time he followed. 

He blinked, trying to figure out what it was he was suppose to be seeing. _Is.. Is that Sage?_ Someone was down there, they were holding a rifle, and they were facing off against a lion. He squinted his eyes, hoping it would help see past the distance. _Yeah that is Sage._ The hunt had started already? How long had he been running? 

He opened his mouth to call to Sage, but it snapped shut before he uttered a single word. The dog growled again and his eyes glanced down at it for a moment. Its body crouched down, close to the ground, ready to spring into action. It was waiting, but for what he didn't know. His eyes traveled back to Sage and the lion. He wondered if he should help. Not that he'd offer much, he didn't have a gun. It was strange, the more he stared at Sage, the harder it was to see. Colors and shapes started to blend together, making it impossible to tell the difference between things. He was getting hot and dizzy too. What was wrong with him? 

**BANG! BARK! **"**OUCH!**" What possessed that dog to bite him? Now of all times?! He could already feel his shin bleeding. Wait, was that a gun shot? He turned back to Sage's direction, glad that everything wasn't a big blur anymore. 

"**YES**! **WHOOOHOOO**! **WHO'S THE MAN**! **DON'T WANT NONE OF THIS**!" Theo gripped a near by tree, turned his head, and emptied the contents in his stomach. There was Sage, doing another stupid victory dance. Then there was the lion. It was still alive, but probably would have been better off dead. It was going through pain no innocent animal should have to bear. It lay at Sage's feet, whimpering. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what had happened. The poor beast had jumped at Sage and Sage of course not wanting to die took aim and fired. He shot the lion's hind leg clean off.

The sound of Theo's vomiting soon caught his friends attention. "Joey? Joey! Dude, what are you doing out here without any protection? Lucky I already took care of this lion, other wise you'd be in trouble. Can you help me take it back to camp?" Theo backed up so rapidly he tripped on his own feet. He continued to back up, pushing against and sliding on the ground. "Joey? What's wrong with you?" It didn't make sense. His best friend looked like he was terrified of him. Sage took a hesitant step towards him and the panicked and fearful look in Theo's eyes increased. "Joey?" 

The mutt growled lightly and shoved its wet nose into Theo's side. The gesture calmed the boy down and he stopped moving. "Joey?" 

"Yeah?"

"Dude, what happened to you?" Theo sighed.

"I don't...I don't know."

"Are you okay now?" While they talked the mutt trotted away.

"Yeah. Yeah I'm cool."

"Good." Sage dug around in his pocket for a while, before fishing out a walkie-talkie. He tossed it to Theo and turned back to the lion. "I originally planned to just drag it back with me, but you look so shook up it might be better to just call the camp. They can come get the lion, while you get some help. You call them; I'll go make sure the lion stays alive." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~

"She's pretty as a daisy.... But look out man she's crazy.... She will do you in..... If you let her get under your skin.....Poison ivvvy..... Poison ivvvy...... Late at night while you're sleeping, poison ivy comes a creeping ar...Ouch! That was uncalled for Sage!" He rubbed the large bump on the side of his head. All thanks to the book Sage had thrown at him. Despite the pan he chuckled as he watched his friend try to control his scratching.

"It was poison oak, not ivy so shut up!"

"Oak, ivy, what's the difference?" Even though he was being made fun of Sage was happy to have 'Joey' back to normal. He really had him worried back there in the woods. 

"Shut up or I'll find something heavier than a book to throw at you."

"Shutting up." 

Joey! Joey come in! After twisting around a few times he managed to find the walkie-talkie. Joey I know you're there! Come in!

"Hello. Who is this?"

Cut the crap Joey! The boss wants to talk to you when we get back to the shop. I don't know what you did, but whatever it is when you see the boss you better beg for forgiveness. Cause he se-- He cut off the walkie-talkie. 

"Theodore Eros begs forgiveness from no man."

"Who?"

"Gah!" He'd forgotten that Sage was still in the tent. "Nothing. I-I didn't-I didn't say nothing." [Double negatives I know, but who else besides your English teacher speaks with proper grammar all the time.] 

"Yes you did. You said Theo--"

"No I didn't! That must have been someone else, cause it wasn't me."

"You sure?"

"Positive." _He doesn't believe me for a second. _Theo grinned.

"Okay. If you say so." _So much for being able to trust your friends._ Sage smiled back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~

If the lion could it would be pacing its cage. Unfortunately since it was missing a hind leg all it could do was lie on the cold metal floor and whimper. It was jolted out of its self pity when someone violently rattled and shook its cage.

"I almost feel sorry for it." Someone said. Another person laughed and kicked the cage, causing it to shake again.

"Yeah, almost. Stupid beast don't deserve pity though." He chuckled, picking up a rock and throwing it at the lion. It smacked against its furry forehead, then rolled away. "Aw, what's the matter?" He picked up another rock, this one larger than the first. "I think it's sad." He threw the second rock, and it lodged itself painfully into the lion's side. "Do you want out, poor little lion?" Okay, it was one thing to imprison it, but was another to mock it. 

The lion roared and reached a paw out towards the man. Fully intending to sever him with its sharp claws. The man just laughed. He gripped the bars of the cage and shook it. This of course knocked the already off balance lion to the ground, and this time when the man threw another rock at it, it didn't bother to get up. 

"Leave it alone. Keep messing with it like that and you could kill it."

"So. If the boss it going to turn it into an anizoid, I don't see why we can't kill it."

"Because it at least needs to still be breathing when he does. Saving a dying body is possible, reviving a lifeless corpse is not." 

"Oh. Cool."

"You don't get it do you?"

"Nope."

"Just load the lion on the truck."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ahh! Ouch! Damn it!" Theo rubbed his abused tailbone and glared up at the peacefully sleeping Sage. "Oh no Sage, I don't mind. Take the bottom bunk, I'll sleep on the top. I totally understand your fear of heights." He grumbled. "Fear of heights my @$$. He just didn't want to fall off. You knew how painful it would be, didn't you?" Theo had never slept on a bunk bed in his entire life. Granted if he'd known how painful the fall was he would have taken the bottom bunk. [Don't care what anyone says. Falling off the top bunk hurts. Especially when you land on a broom that was leaning on the wall.] "Man that was one freaky dream. It hurt too." He said rubbing his head and side. "It felt so cold, first dream that actually had me afraid."

Something nudged his back, hard. He turned around to face, "Mutt, what do you want from me?" He poked the dog's nose and had to quickly retract his finger back to save it from being bitten off. "If you hate me so much why won't you leave me alone?" Instead of answering, not like Theo expected he'd get one, the dog gripped his sleeve in its jaws and began dragging him out of the tent. "Hey, where we going?" He slapped himself with his free hand. "What's wrong with me? I'm asking a dog questions and expecting it to answer back." While he was being dragged around he took the time to notice something about the dog. "Male, well that makes sense."

The dog suddenly let go of his sleeve and took off into the night. "Hey wait!"

"Why?" This caused him to experience something a little short of a heart attack. Dogs weren't suppose to talk. "Joey, that you? Man what are you doing out here, and why do you want me to wait? I have to get this lion loaded up before dawn." Oh, nice to know he wasn't going crazy. It was Brick, not the dog. He was standing in front of a large truck, the doors were open but it was too dark to see inside. 

"Is...Is the lion already in there?" Brick glared at him.

"Why you want to know?" He scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously.

"Oh, no...no reason." He gulped. Were his eyes playing tricks on him or was that dog on the roof of the truck? It looked like he had something in his mouth. _How did that dog get up there without making any noise?_

"I know what happened with you and the boss. What I don't know is what you did to get him so pissed, but I'm telling you now keep me out of it." Whatever he had in his mouth, looked heavy. Was it just him or was the mutt holding it above Brick's head. "Joey are you listening to me? Joey? Joe-Argh!" That certain object in the dog's mouth made the most interesting sound when it hit Brick's head. **THUD**

"That had to hurt." The dog jumped off the roof and began sniffing around Brick's pockets. It pulled a set of keys from one of them and dropped them at Theo's feet. "Smart dog." The dog climbed into the back of the truck, and Theo taking the hint closed the doors. "I guess I'm going for a little ride. This is great! It'll look real good on my criminal record." He went to the front of the truck and got behind the wheel. "Trespassing, highjaking, transporting stolen goods, assault on a fellow co-worker," _of course the dog did that, not me, _"stealing, and grand theft! It doesn't get any better than this!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"**SAGE**! **SAGE**!" Sage walked out of the tent, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"What up? Gah!" Sage was grabbed by the front of his shirt and dragged a few feet off the ground. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yes, you can tell us where that little punk Joey went."

"You mean he isn't in the tent?"

"Are you saying I'm stupid?"

"What? No I-I don't...I didn't...."

"Let's just think for a minute shall we. If the little b@$t@rd where in there, do you think I'd be wasting my time talking to you? Your friend stole a truck and the lion. Now I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you didn't know anything about that and don't know where Joey is. Am I right?"

"Yeah."

"Thought so. If Joey does contact you tell us, and tell him he's in some deep $hit." Sage nodded his head and was released.

_Aw man Joey! You've pulled some stupid $hit before, but this one takes the cake._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Theo brought the truck to a stop behind a repair shop. He slid down in his seat and sighed. "**I**. **AM**. **AN**. **IDIOT**! What the hell was I thinking? This has got to be the dumbest thing I've ever done." He suddenly threw his head back and started laughing. "But it was wroth it!" The dog started barking calling his attention to the cargo in the back. 

He had barely finished unlocking the back doors before the mutt busted through them. He knocked Theo to the ground and after giving him a farewell bite on the leg he raced off in the opposite direction. _Damn mutt. _Now that he was taken care of Theo needed to attend to the other animal in the truck. "What am I going to do with you?" He asked, sitting in the back of the truck, next to the lion's cage. "Can't release you back into the wild. You can barely walk without that fourth leg, let alone hunt without it. No zoo is going to take a wild handicap mountain lion, and I sure as hell ani't turning you into an anizoid. You don't want that, you never asked for that. So now I'm back to my original question. What am I going to do with you?" He noticed something off to the side. "A gun." He mumbled picking it up. "I'm running out of options." He fingered the gun and checked to see if it had bullets. "I guess the real question is could you be happy. Well, could you?" The lion raised its massive head to stare at him before it curled up into a large whimpering ball. "No more pain, huh." He leveled the gun with the back of the lion's head. "Then I'll end it." He pulled the trigger.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After burying the lion, Theo set about to freeing one more creature. "Can't very well keep using the truck. It has a license plate. So I suppose you'll do." He said, running his hand up and down the leg of the lion zoid. "Shield Liger DCS-J. Name's too long, I think I'll stick with LeoMaster. If I steal you I can say goodbye to my life. Never know though, could be a blessing." He tightened his fingers on the suitcase in his hand and limped a little closer to the liger. _If I'm going to do this, I better do it now. _Once he climbed into the zoid he remembered something very important. "How does this thing work?!" He didn't know how to pilot a zoid. He only took them apart. His job required that he knew how to unscrew parts and nothing else. "It can't be that much different from a car. So there's got to be an ignition somewhere." A quick glance around, and nope. Nothing looked like an ignition. "Okay this is a very expensive, complicated, and delicate machine. Better mess with everything."

Just as a large number of trucks pulled up behind the repair shop a Shield Liger busted through the closed garage doors. With all the smoke, debris, and confusion the liger managed to run away. "What was that?!"

"I think it was your liger sir."

"Hey isn't that the truck Joey stole?"

"Think he stole the liger too?"

"**AAARRRRRGGGGGHHHH**!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh yeah, this is diffidently the rush I've been waiting for!" It had taken him two hours to figure out most of the controls. In that time he had got the liger to sit up, roll over, and play dead, but he had finally got it running. "I love this!" It could have just been him, but the liger roared in agreement.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~

He was racing across a prairie region, a few plateaus bordering the area. The sun was so high it was boiling Theo's brain. The only good thing about it was that he hadn't got caught. Yet.

"Maybe that's the reason why I love you...You're my heart girl....And wit all the crazy things that I do, you're still here girl...No one else can make me feel like you do...You've shared my world...Baby that's the reason why I love you......It took a while for me to see how special you treated me....Maybe that's the reason why I love you...You're my heart girl....And wit all the crazy things that I do, you're still here girl....No one else can make me feel like you do....You've shared my world....Baby that's the reason why I love you........I Love You, maybe that's the reason why I love you." He pulled on the controls, causing the liger to stop and spin around in circles. A missile landed a few meters in front of him. LeoMaster stopped chasing its tail and jumped back, barely managing to dodge another missile. "You aiming sucks!" The boulder next to him suddenly exploded. "Okay, I take that back."

"And you'll give me my zoid back."

"Huh? Wha--Who said that? Where's that voice coming form?"

"Look at the screen, stupid."

"Uhh, oh hey boss." _Why do I suddenly feel like the dumbest man alive?_

"Theodore! I want my zoid back!" 

_Oh, that's why_. _Because I just did the dumbest thing in the world. Yeah, I feel stupid. _

"Are you listening to me?!"

"Nope. Good-bye." He closed the connection.

"Boss?"

"Open fire."  
Missile upon missile rained down on Theo, oh yeah, he was in trouble. [here is where it gets bad] LeoMaster jumped back dodging one row of missile just to be bombarded from the side with another. "Okay now I really wished I'd learn how to pilot this before I stole it." The assault stopped and Theo was grateful for that for only a minute. The zoids were closing in on him. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_flashback_~~~~~~~~~~

He turned to the left, then the right. He backed up, stepped forward, did a few posses, then sighed. After all that he came to one conclusion. Glasses. Made. Him. Look. Ugly. That was all there was to it. "Don't care what Yuji say. I am not wearing these. No way. No how. Uh-uh." He adjusted the glasses on his face, trying once again to make them look better. It didn't seem to help. He grunted, it was no use. He pulled the glasses off and tossed them on his bed. So things were a little fuzzy around the edges. He could live with that.  
~~~~~~~~~_end flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

Theo swore as one particularly close missile rocked the cockpit so hard he slammed forward into the console. Glass cracked under the sudden impact, fragments becoming imbedded in his forehead, and little specks of blood freckling his face. He wasn't given much time to curse before a Red Horn rammed violently into LeoMaster's side causing it to do a full 360 in the air. The zoid hit the ground hard, skidding to a stop at a Gun Sniper's feet. _This is going to hurt like hell._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_flashback~~~~~~~~~~~_

"**Mama**! **Help**! **Please let me out**! **Let me out**! **Please**! **Help**! **I want Mama**! **I don**'**t**....**I don**'**t**.." He choked on a sob, unable to complete his sentence. He was starting to hyperventilate as he clawed wildly at the wooden door. Sadly the only thing that accomplished was the wearing down of his fingernails. Once most of his nails were gone the tender skin of his fingers became victim to the hard scraping. He screamed louder and began kicking at the door. No one heard his crying.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_end flashback~~~~~~~~_

Theo did something very childish and stuck his tongue out at the Gun Sniper when its missiles bounced off the shield he managed to activate in time. Like all great accomplishments Theo made the happiness was short lived.

The Gun Sniper spun around, took aim, and focused all its shots on a single spot in the shield. It was so close to the liger that it didn't take long for the bullets to pierce through the shield. The first one clipped the side of the liger's head, the second cracked the glass of the cockpit, the third caused a little problem.

"**Damn**!" Theo stared down at the space between his legs. The bullet had come very close to taking something that wouldn't grow back. Of course it left this gigantic hole in the floor of his cockpit. That was a pretty big bullet, luck was the only thing that save him from being hit. LeoMaster jerked before it was knocked off its feet by a sonic boom. The Lighting Saix slid to a stop behind him and immediately started firing. "I got to get out of here, LeoMaster can take much more of this." 

Perhaps fate wasn't as cruel as he originally thought. The zoids that surrounded him disappeared beneath a could of dust and gun smoke. A Storm Sworder flew overhead, dropping more bombs on the zoids.

What are you waiting for you stupid little fool?! Get out of here!

"Sage? How'd you get through? I thought closed the com-link."

Idiot! You still have the walkie-talkie, though I don't see what it has to do with anything! Just get your @$$ out of here, I'll hold this guys off.

"But what about...?"

Go!

"I'm going, I'm going!"

LeoMaster had run a good number of meters away when Theo started to have second thoughts about leaving Sage behind. The guy had pretty much raised Theo in that shop. He always had good advice and offered help despite how much of a danger it could be for him. It wasn't fair. Sage was always playing his hero. That's got to stop. "Starting now." LeoMaster came to a stop and the hatch to the cockpit popped opened. Theo climbed out and patted the liger's feet. "For once I'm going to do the right thing and play Sage's hero. Not the idiot he always has to get out of trouble. But I'm gong to save you too buddy. I stole you and I'm not giving you back, not exactly a statement to be proud of but I am. Go. I'll find you, so don't worry. You just can't be apart of this, cause I'm not going to lie I'm a terrible pilot. You'd come back as scrap metal if I took you. Can't have something like that happen to such a magnificent zoid. So go, I'll handle everything else on my own." The liger growled softly and walked away, sparing Theo a small glance before it disappeared into the foliage. Theo turned back where the sounds of battle could be clearly heard. "Now how am I going to pull this one off?" An oddly familiar situation, he never thought things though before he did them. "Guess I'll have to do it like I always do. Making it up as I go." [Just like this story]

******************************************************************************

I should have Chapter 2 out in a couple of days. Hermits like me don't really have anything else better to do with their time. See you sometime after Christmas, or whatever holiday you celebrate during this time of year. Merry or Happy (insert holiday here)! And please review. 

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

Here it is chapter 2. It's a lot shorter than the first, but I figure I can work better that way. The chapters might come out smaller but they get done faster. 

Disclaimer: Don't own zoids, anizoids, or the two songs I used in chap.1 Everything else is mine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"F#^k." A coughing fit soon followed this curse. Saliva and blood was hacked up, staining the dirty floor. "No one ever said playing hero would be easy." Another curse and more hacked up blood. "No one ever said it would be painless either." He could be happy for one thing. He got Sage out of trouble and got his self caught. It seemed like such a good idea at the time too.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~_flashback~~~~~~~~~~~_

Theo hid behind one of the tree's branches waiting for the perfect time to jump. A Command Wolf slowly made its way towards the tree. Its twin 80mm Cannons aimed and ready to shoot the Storm Sworder out of the sky. The moment it was directly under the tree Theo jumped. He landed on the zoid's head and grinned, waving at the pilot inside. The next sequences of events unfortunately don't require much detail. 

1. The pilot opened the cockpit, preparing to yell at Theo.

2. Theo busted the pilot in the jaw before he uttered a word.

3. After freeing the pilot from his harness and dumping him, Theo climbs into the Command Wolf and races off to assist Sage in battle. 

_Okay stupid,_ Theo thought to his self, _you know you couldn't fight in a zoid battle to save your life. Or in this case Sage's life. So what are you going to do? _He racked his brain, trying to come up with something. Anything! _Gi-Give up? Is that all I got. _He thought about the shape his piloting skills had left the LeoMaster in. _Yeah it's all I have to give._

Theo switched the com-link on. "Boss? I know you can hear me, so answer."

"Where's my zoid Eros?"

"Leave the Storm Sworder alone."

"And why pray tell would I do that?"

"Leave the zoid alone and....and I'll give myself up."

"Tempting, but no. I want my zoid now. I can kick your @$$ after I get it back."

_Keep it together Theo. Remember you have something_ _he wants. Or at least you have to make him think you do._ He mentally chuckled. "Yeah you could do that, but as you can see I don't have the liger anymore and you won't find it without me. Do we have a deal?" You couldn't tell by looking at or listening to him, but Theo was terrified.

"You drive a hard bargain Eros." The boss remained silent for a moment. "We have a deal."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~_end flashback~~~~~~~~~~~_

So here he was. Battered and bruised. Numerous cuts bleeding freely. Needles to say the boss wasn't very happy when he found out that Theo really didn't have any information on the Shield Liger's whereabouts. 

"Hello Theodore." Theo managed to raise his head and was greeted with the sight of a large burly man. He held a riding crop, squeezing it in his hands. "The boss thinks you might know something you just aren't telling us." He grinned and slapped the crop against the palm of his hand. "Personally I disagree. If you knew something, you would tell. It'd save you a lot of pain. But what can I say. I like the sound leather makes when it hits skin, and I love hearing people scream." 

"Well I'm glad you're going to enjoy it." Theo knew that voice. The boss stepped out from behind the large man. "I however don't care for your opinion. Just shut up and hit him when I say so." The large man sneered at the boss, but for the rest of this long painful night in Theo's life, he did not speak. He simply shackled Theo so he was hanging from the ceiling by chains and stepped back. Awaiting orders. "This is very simple Eros. I ask you a question and you give me an answer. Give me the right answer and I consider letting you go. Give me a wrong answer...."

"And you have Hans here slap my back with that crop. How original."

"Don't be silly. Of course Bruno," the large man flinched at his second new nickname, "won't hit your back. Why would he do that when there are so many other body parts available to him. Now where is my zoid?"

"Go to hell."

"Hit him."

**CRACK! "Ahhhhhhhhh!**"

"Why did you want me to leave the Storm Sworder alone?"

"Kiss my @$$"

"Again."

**CRACK! **"**Ahhhhhhhh!**"

"Last chance. What did you do with my lion?"

"Suck my---"

"Again."

**CRACK! **"**Ahhhhhhh!**"

"Really Eros, there's no need for vulgar language. Again."

**CRACK! **"**Ahhhhhhh!**" 

"I don't think he'll be talking tonight. Keep at it though. Maybe a few lashes will loosen his tongue." The boss left after that, leaving Theo alone with the big guy would had been so humbly nicknamed Hans Bruno.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_I-I knew I'd pay for that lie I told, but hell! I didn't think I'd pay for it like this. It hurts! Dear Gods it hurts! _He groaned, unable to talk. His voice hoarse and throat sore from screaming. _Well look on the bright side Theo. Your back is fine. It's just the rest of your body that's been ripped to shreds. Thank God I'm wearing jeans. Lessen the pain some. _

Theo craned his neck to see if he was alone. Hans Bruno had left an hour ago leaving him to stew in his pain. Though Theo had passed out around the thirty-something lash he knew how long he had been hanging there. _Too long. Time to get out of here._

He was alone; it was the perfect time to escape. He flexed his fingers and twisted his wrists, testing his mobility. He had to bite his tongue to keep from crying out from the pain the slight movement had caused him. _C'mon. Stop being such a wuss. You're not weak. I know I can do this!_

__

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~flashback~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm afraid he won't be much help to you. He's not one of the strongest of my sons." Yuji stared down at the little boy who was struggling to get out of his father's grip. It was rather sad; the boy was pulling with all his might yet his father didn't even seem to notice the small tugs at his arm. "Of course I wouldn't be selling him to you if he weren't so weak. But I suppose you can find something for him to do." The man shoved the boy into Yuji's legs and he had to watch as the boy crashed into him and tumbled to the ground. "Now, my money."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~_end flashback~~~~~~~~~_

_Yeah. That's right. You sold me like a slave. You were never my father and I was never your son. But I'm going to prove to you that I'm not weak. Never had been and never will be. I just had a heart, unlike you. **AND I'M NOT WEAK**!_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Theo crept down the hallway, looking for a way out. In case you're wondering how he got out of his shackles. Well even with his little speech he didn't rip the chains from the ceiling. After all he said he wasn't weak not that he was Superman. Actually by wiggling his wrist around he'd managed to slip his hands free of the chains. It seemed that Hans Bruno had about as much love for the boss as he did. The chains weren't as tight as they should have been. _Now how am I going to get out of here?_

"Do you think Theodore is going to crack soon?"

"Most probably, you heard him screaming. He won't last much longer." Two men were steadily making their way down the hall and closer to Theo.

_This can't be good._ Theo decided. How many options did this leave him with? He couldn't run, he'd make too much noise. _Gotta hide! Gotta hide!_ One problem, he was in a hallway. That didn't offer many hiding places for him. _It's dark down here; I could try the shadows._ He backed up against the wall and-- "Whoa! Ouch! Damn it!" Fell down something. "Ahhhhhh!" **THUD!** "That was really painful. What's that smell? Ew, gross!" How'd he end up in a garbage bin? Theo plucked what use to be pasta out of his hair and climbed out of the bin. "At least I'm outside now. Don't know how, but I am."

Theo hissed in pain as he walked down the alley. He knew how to take punishment, but apparently his body was trying to tell him something. Get help or he could kiss his life good-bye. He just needed an opportunity to get some transportation. 

"What are you looking at?" There stood a tall lanky man, his body covered in tattoos, leather, and grease stains. Hello Mr. Opportunity.

"Something ugly." This was going to hurt but it would be worth it.

"You little son of a b!^ch!" The man yelled before he drove a right fist to Theo's mouth. The punch sent him to the ground, but the man wasn't finished. He gripped Theo by his shirt and pulled him to his feet. "I'm gonna teach you a lesson boy."

"And what would that lesson be?"

"That it's not nice to call people names." He raised his fist, ready to strike him again. Never got the chance. Theo hooked his feet behind the man's ankles and pulled forward, yanking the man's legs out from under him. They both fell, but Theo made sure he shoved his elbow into the man's throat.

"Thanks for the lesson. Unfortunately I can't stay to fully learn it. I'd also like to thank you for your keys." He grinned, dangling the said items in front of the man's face. "I'll be burrowing your motorcycle and I don't suggest you try to stop me. Cause if I wanted to I would seriously hurt you." Theo dug his elbow into his throat to further prove his point even though it was a lie. He was so drained right now he barely had the energy to perform that simple act, but the man didn't need to know that. This was how Theo did things, he bluffed. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Up."

"It's not happening."

"Up."

"Sorry. No can do."

"Up."

"You're going to kill me."

"Up."

"How many times and how many ways can I tell you I can't do another one?!"

"I don't know, how many languages can you speak? Up."

"Ah, no, I quit."

"Ah, no, you don't. Up."

"Fine!" _Stupid push-ups! _Theo raised his self on shaky limbs; he managed to stay up for a few minutes before he collapsed to the ground. "I hope you're happy; you've killed me." Sage grinned and patted his friend on the head.

"Don't worry Theo, I'm sure you'll survive." Ever since Sage had found him he had been helping him get back on his feet and with Theo's negative attitude it was a slow progress. " I'll tell you what dude, if you give me one more push-up I'll let you have the last bottle of beer."

"I hate beer." He growled back.

"Okay, if you say so." Sage picked the last bottle up off the coffee table and popped the top. 

"Don't you dare! I paid for those, if anyone's going to drink the last one it's gonna be me!"

"Dude you got to earn your right to drink it."

"I hate you." Sage set the bottle on the floor, just out of his reach.

"You'll have to get up to get it, and don't try scooting or crawling towards it. I'll just sit on you."

"I really hate you."

"Sure you do."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Theo scratched his head and glance between the two items in his hands. This was one of the most important decisions he had to make. His very health depended on it. Should he get jalapenos or pickles? He loved spice, but the pickles were cheaper and neither he nor Sage had gotten a job so money was pretty tight. It was only a matter of time before they were kicked out of their apartment; the rent was overdue by six months. That was to be expected he had been bed ridden for two months and Sage had been helping him recover for the other four. Theo had just recently healed up enough perform normal tasks again. According to a certain doctor who agreed to keep Theo's injures a secret it was a miracle itself that he had managed to find Sage before he passed out again from the loss of blood.

"Hey buddy are you going to move anytime soon?" Theo jumped and fumbled with the jalapenos and pickles, almost dropping them.

"Sor-Sorry bout that." He placed both items into his basket and walked away. He still had to finish shopping and he wanted to get it done quick. He felt like such a girl pushing a shopping cart around and he didn't want anyone he knew to see him.

Theo walked out the mine mart with an arm full of brown bags. He was securing the food to the back of his stolen motor bike when he heard something. The sound was so soft no small wonder he actually heard it. A very quiet whimper was coming from behind him. Theo turned around to watch a creature lumber out from behind the mini mart. It had a trail of blood following it and was limping badly. The creature half bark half whined before its strength gave out and it fell to the ground in front of Theo's feet. "**ACE**!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Theo paced the length of the den, stopping every once in a while to glance at the clock on the wall, and then going back to pacing. It was weird how he had come to care so much about a dog that attack him every chance it got. Through all the bites, scratches, barking and growling a strange bond had somehow formed. Somewhere along the way Theo had started to call the dog Ace, granted he still called him mutt, damn dog, mongrel, and the newly added insult royal pain in the @$$, but Ace was the more frequent of the names. Besides the dog seemed to respond to him when he called him Ace, he never listened to him but it was some progress. Theo had gotten as close to Ace as he could with a wild wolf, good thing Ace was a bit more tamer than a wolf, but he loved that dog. He'd never admit that though.

"Theo--?"

"**How's Ace? Is he okay? Will he live? Does he need anything?! Well does he? Why aren't you saying anything?!**"

"I'm waiting for you to breathe."

"Oh.... Well?"

"Theo."

"Yes?"

"Let go of me." Theo immediately released Sage. "I found something you might want to see." He placed a small object in Theo's hand. "It's a bullet," he said, not waiting for extremely stressed teenager to inspect it, "I found two of them in Ace's side. Somebody killed your dog." Theo clenched the bullet tightly in his hand, someone was gong to pay--Whoa! Wait! What did Sage say?

"Don't you mean tried to kill my dog? Ace's too stubborn to die."

"Come back down to earth, Theo. Your dog was shot twice in the side and you expected it to live. I'm not a medical doctor or a vet, even if I was I wouldn't have been able to save him."

"I don't care what you say, Ace isn't gone. I'll find a way to bring that stupid mutt back. I wish someone would take me up on my selling my soul offer."

"Did I ever say your royal pain in the @$$ was gone? What do you think anizoids are for?"

"But....but don't they still need to be breathing to do that?"

"Who told you that? All I need is some DNA and a lot of money. Just don't get the body cremated and Ace can come back. Oh and you need a job, cause we're both broke."

"Sage.... Thanks dude!" Theo didn't stay to hear a welcome he was already running out the door.

"Dude?! Where you going?!" Sage called after him.

"To give LeoMaster some exercise, get the money to turn Ace into an anizoid, and avenge my dog. I'm going to kill three birds with one stone!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 3 should be out sometime next week or the one after it. R&R C' ya. 


	3. Chapter 3

The third chapter is out! Yay for me! And it only took me a couple of...months. Okay considering I originally planned for only a week that is a long time. Oh well better late than never.

The words in the note (further down in the chapter) were written in a different font. Whether or not it'll show up on FanFiction.net...your answer's as good as mine.  


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"Hey kid!" The LeoMaster skidded to a stop in front of a Dibison.

"I'm not a kid!"

"Yeah whatever. Look you don't belong here so get lost." Theo fumed inside the cockpit. Who was this guy to tell him he didn't belong and to go away? He had a job to do and he wasn't leaving until he killed somebody. "Kid we have some important business to settle with the old man and we don't need some rookie hanging around to mess it up."

"Rookie!?" Great first he was the kid now he was the rookie. "I'm not a kid or a rookie and I'm here to put the boss out of his misery. Damn it I'm here for some payback!"

"You're Theodore Eros aren't you?"

"Yeah. What of it?"

"Wow it's an honor to finally meet The Cupid. Heh heard a lot about you Cupid." 

"That's not funny." So his last name was the Roman version of the Greek god of love. He could have sworn he left that nickname behind. 

"No seriously. Who hasn't heard about The Cupid who destroyed the old man's business? Ya kind of a hero around here."

"So you'll let me through?" Being a hero had its perks.

"Nope. The Cupid's a hero because he pulled a lot of crazy $hit and it all turned out okay in the end not for his crummy piloting skills. You suck kid. Get out of here before you get hurt."

"I'm not leaving. You can't make me."

"Now you're just being childish. Look kid I'm trying to do you a favor. Clear out and I'll take care of the old man for ya. You can't refuse an offer like that."

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"Hey Daniel, who's the hot chick?" Theo held a picture of one very beautiful girl, and she looked his age too. The man from the Dibison, now known as Daniel, snatched the photo back. He placed it down gently on a counter and turned away from Theo.

"It's none of your business, kid." 

"Shouldn't have said that. Now I got to know. Don't you think a fine girl like this is a little too young for you? Tell me who she is."

"Damn it kid! I said it's none of your business. Drop it okay!" Theo either didn't notice how angry Daniel was getting or he didn't care.

"How long ago was this picture taken? Is she this old now? C'mon tell me, is she still my age? Does she live around here? Can I meet her? What does she look for in a--" Daniel popped Theo in the jaw, sending the teenager tumbling to the ground. "Ow! What the hell was that for?"

"I didn't have to bring you, kid. Now when I tell you to drop it, I mean for you to stay out of my f#^king business." He tossed Theo a coat and swung his own over his shoulder. "You want to get through this alive you listen to me. No objections. No excuses." Theo rubbed his jaw; it was starting to swell and would probably bruise. 

"That's why she left, isn't it?" Daniel stiffened.

"What was that?" Theo stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes and walked towards the door.

"Nothing. Nothing at all. Just talking to myself." He said before he disappeared into the hall. Daniel moved to follow him but stopped when he noticed something that wasn't in his room before. It was Theo's suitcase.

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"Cupid! Hey Cupid over here!" This was starting to get annoying. His name was Theodore, not kid, rookie, and it was not now nor would it ever be Cupid. So why did they call him everything but Theodore? They must've just liked to get on his nerves. "I must say I'm very impressed with this Shield Liger. I've never seen one quiet like it. Must be a new model. The technology put into building this is amazing. Too bad its pilot isn't."

"Hey!" Theo yanked the weedy little man off his feet. "You have better had called me over here for more than praising my zoid and insulting my skills." A hand fell on his shoulder.

"Let him go kid."

"Look pal, you ain't my father. So don't tell me what to do and stop calling me kid!" Theo shoved the weedy man away and shook Daniel's hand off his shoulder. "Now what did you want?"

"Oh not much. I just added a few new weapons. You'll love it. With all the firepower your terrible piloting skills won't matt-Gah!" Theo grabbed hold of the weedy man again. This time catching him in a headlock.

"When someone's bigger and stronger than you are, you don't insult them and piss them off." For some strange reason Theo felt unusually testy. He'd had another vision and it left him feeling....something ...he couldn't explain or even understand. It was just hard to tell which emotion was affecting him the most. Anger, confusion, disgust, so many swirling around in his head. The only thing he really did know was that it hadn't happened yet, but there wasn't anything he could do to stop it.

"Theo-" Daniel's normally gray eyes flashed red as he gripped the teen's shoulder a little tighter than before. Theo sent a scowl his way but when tried to shake the hand off its grip only tightened. He grimaced and nearly whimpered from the pain. Daniel released his hold and Theo dropped the man to rub his shoulder.

"Ease up next time, will ya? Any tighter and you probably would have crushed my bones. Oh and by the way, thanks for the new bruise. Want to add...any...mor-You okay? You don't look too hot." If he didn't know any better Theo would swear Daniel was struggling to not strangle him. Just to be on the safe side he took a few steps away from the hands reaching for his neck. "I'm going to back away slowly and get into my zoid now. I'd turn around and run for it, but I'm afraid you'll shoot me in the back or something."

"I'm..I'm sorry. I don't what came over me." Daniel's eyes flashed back to gray as he rubbed his temple. 

"Yeah well, whatever it was keep it away from me." _What is wrong with him? _Theo wondered. "I left something back in the room." He turned to walk away, but thought better of it.

"Is that necessary?" Daniel asked, watching Theo leave. He was walking backwards.

"Hell yeah. You still might shoot me in the back."

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"Let's see if you can give me some answers." Theo lifted the clasps on the suitcase free. This would be the first time he had opened it. "Well this is anti-climatic." He had expected something bigger, cooler. Like some top-secret weapon. Instead what he got was some stupid bottles. Three stupid bottles and two of them were half-empty! "When other people get forbidden items they nearly get killed. When I get something I'm never supposed to open I get pop. This bites." Theo didn't even like soda. It was too sweet and all that caffeine. Coffee wasn't one of his favorite beverages either. "Eh, maybe it's beer." He picked up one of the half empty bottles and popped the top.

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It kills you. You can't stop, not until your mission is completed. 

You said it kills you. 

It does. Total body melt down. Like a heart attack. Metallic, it's a virus. It pumps your body with steroids and you become unstoppable. Think the Hulk, but unlike him when you get mad there's no going back. Once you've triggered it and have accomplished what you've set out to do, you die. Don't take this. Don't use this. On yourself or anybody. It's dangerous. Plus it tastes terrible and absorption is nearly murder itself. 

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" Damn." It happened again. This vision, it was too short. There wasn't enough information. "Why would he give me drugs?" At least it was cooler than soda or beer. "I need to know more." Theo just had a feeling these bottles had something to do with Daniel. He set the bottles aside and turned the briefcase upside down. "Come on there has to be something. I know there's something." He shook it a few times and not too much to his surprise a piece of paper fell out. It was folded several times, crinkled, and yellow with age. "Aha! I knew it!" He unfolded the paper; just to find out it was barely legible. "I must have really pissed someone off up there." Theo squinted at the tiny messy scrawl and read what little he could.

Can't let.....have it. Never think......for it....with the kid.

Everything after that looked like stuff he already knew. "Wait. What's this?"

First and third mix.......The middle....antidote.

Fortunately the last few sentences were smear, age, and for some reason unlike some of the others, sweat free.

Theodore if you ever open this I pray it is for a good and noble reason. I pray that it is your last option and that you have no other choice. Have no regrets, make no brash decisions, and leave no unfinished business. For if you take this it is goodbye. To your life and those you care for. Do not get excited you idiot, this is serious! 

"I resent that," he huffed. "I wasn't getting excited." Theo stuffed the paper in his pocket and let the new information sink in. He really didn't know what to think of it all. A small speck of excitement was stirring in him, naturally. He just wouldn't be Theodore "Cupid" Eros if it didn't, but there were too many other emotions building inside him to allow that one feeling room to grow. There was one emotion though that was burning to the surface and it wasn't going to let another come before it. Anger and betrayal apparently hitched a ride on it. 

How dare Daniel invade his privacy and go through his things? How dare a man who takes a drug that is destined to kill him talk down to him. As if he was better than Theo was? How dare a man who drove his own daughter to her death....Theo clamped his hand over his mouth, as if that would stop his thoughts. It was too late and bile rose in his throat in remembrance of the disgusting vision he had earlier. "Can't let this get to me. I'm stronger than that." He swallowed, "Blah!" And nearly puked it back up from the horrible taste. "I'll never do that again."He still had to do something about Daniel. The guy was probably going to hurt a lot of people on his warpath and that stupid thing called a conscious just wouldn't let him live with that.

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It was cold. Not like Theo expected it to be warm. This was a bringer of death. This would be the third time he had held anything like this. The first time was a little BB gun. He use to shoot birds and squirrels when he was a kid with that BB gun. Second time was a Yellow Boy rifle, used to put a suffering animal out of its misery. Now this time, he was going to kill a man. "I really don't want to have to do this Danny boy, but you're leaving me no choice." 

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Theo secured the goggles on his head and glanced at the mirror to give himself a once over. The goggles were there to hide his brand. He wasn't planning on wearing them over his eyes. The hideous scar on his hand was being hidden as well, by a fingerless black leather glove. If he was going to do this right he had to make sure no one would recognize him. His hair had been cut, spiked, and dyed blond. Hopefully he had gotten the dye that could be washed out. Theo didn't want to be a blond forever; he liked his old hair too much. He had even put in contacts that changed his natural eye color to green. Theo shoved his hands into the pockets of his black sweatshirt after dusting off his blue jeans and tapping a steel-toed boot clad foot against the ground. "Yeah. This'll do." The door opened and Daniel stuck his head in.

"Hey Theo you ready...to.. go.... Who are you?" Even if he did plan to shoot the guy he couldn't help it. Theo doubled over and laughed until tears came to his eyes and his sides began to ache. "What? What's so funny, and how did you get in here anyway?"

"That's...That's my little secret." He gasped out between snickers. If Daniel didn't know who he was Theo wasn't going to tell him. "I can tell you that I'll be filling in for Theodore Eros. It's for his own good. He doesn't have the skill to pilot a zoid." Theo grinned smugly. After that giggle fit he sounded very mature. At least he thought he did. "Now if you'll excuse me I must prepare for the upcoming battle." He turned away, biting his lower lip. _Can't let him see me laugh again._

"Wait, you still haven't told me. Who are you?" A small snicker escaped, but Theo managed to reply in all seriousness,

"Blake. Devon Blake." Obviously Theo had watched one too many James Bond movies. He quickly left the room and once alone in the hallway collapsed into another fit of giggles. "This is too much fun."

"Better enjoy your fun while it lasts intruder." He was surrounded by mindless thugs all carrying guns yet all Theo did was continue to laugh. These men knew Theodore Eros was in their hideout. They probably didn't like it but they knew. Devon Blake, however, was a trespasser as far as they were concerned.

"Find something funny you little blond bimbo?" The thugs parted to allow a small petite woman through. She was tiny compared to the large muscle men, but seem to be their leader if them scrambling out of her way was any indication. Her brown eyes narrowed as she glared down at Theo. "Answer me!" A big cheesy grin and more giggles were her only answer. "Why you-!" She grabbed him by his sweatshirt and reared back, planning to break his nose. Theo blew a raspberry in her face. She dropped him and he scrambled away. "You little b@$t@rd!"

"Angelina! What are you doing?" She had pulled out her gun and looked ready to kill. Kill one Theodore Eros that is. "Put that away!" Daniel ordered. Grumbling she put her gun back in its holster while glaring daggers at Theo's grinning face. "What's going on here?"

"She started it!" Theo yelled, pointing an accusing finger at her. Angelina spluttered and pointed a finger back at him.

"I did not, you jerk! He did!" Daniel favored them both with a dry look and sighed tiredly. He knew where this argument was going.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"Not !"

"To-!"

"**STOP**!" They both paused. Theo was still smiling like the Cheshire cat even though Angelina had her hands wrapped around his neck like she planned to choke him. "Two grown adults squabbling like ten-year-olds. I haven't seen anyone act so childish since I met Theo."

"That wet behind the ears kid? Where'd he go anyway?"

"No idea and Angelina this is Devon Blake." Theo started waving at her enthusiastically, which Angelina found very irritating, as she was barely a foot away from him. She just wanted to reach out, grab his gloved hand, and break all his fingers. Every last one of them. "He'll be filling in for Theo so he's going to partner with you instead." She smirked when that goofy grin finally slipped off his face. His franticly waving hand slowly stopped in mid air and he paled, staring at her like she was hell herself. 

_Oh hell._ _This is bad. _Theo thought. _This is very, very bad. _He had wanted to bug her to the point of insanity and then clear out before she was ticked enough to commit homicide. Being stuck her partner only meant one thing. He was going to die. Angelina was going to kill him. Slowly and painfully. _I don't like that evil little smirk she's giving me. _Her smirk widened._ She can sense my fear! I know it!_

Daniel watched the little drama going on between the two of them with a bad tic in his eyebrow. They were an extremely tiresome pair and he didn't have time to baby-sit. "Whatever's going on with you two get over it. We're leaving in five minutes." With that said he left them alone to kill each other.

"Great now I'm stuck with you."

"What's wrong with me?" No matter who he was everyone here seem to have some kind of problem with him. 

"Theo may have been a pain and a horrible pilot, but at least he was cute. You're uglier than sin and annoying." 

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Next chapter should be the last. Where everything will come together. That will not be easy. I made most of this up as I went along.  


R&R 

p.s. That does not stand for rest and relaxation.


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